Means for concentrating multimissile projectiles.



0. LA DOW.

MEANS FOR CONGENTRATIN G MULTIMISBILE PROJECTILBS. APPLIUATIDN rum) no.4}. 1904.

NO MODEL.

93mm 0.10% MI 7z 7? im PATENTED DEG. a, 1904 UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1904.

CHARLES LA DOW, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR CONOENTHATING MULTlNIlSSILE PROJEGTILES.

SPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,920, dated December 6, 1904.

Applicntlou filed August 8', 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Onnunns LA Dow, a citizenof the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wads or Separators for Producing Concentration or Close Shooting of Multimissile Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in a specific form of structure designed to insure concentration or close shooting" of multimissile charges of projectiles, such as grape-shot, canister, and the like.

The present device is more especially intended for sale to the trade generally and for use by sportsmen who load their own cartridges or use loose ammunition.

The principle upon which the present construction is based is that by permitting a portion of the gases generated by the combustion or explosion of a propelling or powder charge to pass to the circumferential portion of a multimissile charge said charge is thereby enveloped and held together by the gases and caused to move in a more compact mass than under the ordinary mode of loading, in which a solid and close-fitting wad is interposed between the propelling and projectile charges.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wad or separator complete; Fig. 2, a perspective view showing the three members of which the wad or separator is composed separated one from the other, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

In the drawings, A designates the wad or separator as a whole. It is composed of three members a, 6, and a, of which members a and 0 have solid central portions and notched peripheries, the notches dbeing variable in form, but here represented as semicircular. The function or purpose of the notches dis to permit under certain circumstances a passage of the gases incident to combustion or explosion of the propelling charge from one to the other side or face of the wad so cut away, and it is therefore obvious that whether these take the form of notches or indentations, on the one 8aria1Ho. 219,973. (No model.)

hand, or mere removal of the periphery in segments or as a continuous ring or annulus is relatively unimportant. Thenotched form is, however, deemed advantageous in that the retained portions of the periphery fit and till the shell and the bore of the gun, and thus maintain the wad in its proper relation thereto, giving to each passage formed by the notches at its proper capacity and relative value.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and .3 that the notches d of the Wed at are in alinement with or in opposition to the intervening solid circumferential portions of wad a, and vice versa, while said notches of both wads-wand c are :closed at their proximate ends'by. the interposed wad .6. It will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that wad t has a central perforation or opening a. 80 long as the several wads or any two of them are in contact face to face the passages formed by the notches'd are closed; but owing to the great pressure produced by the gases some portion thereof will before the charge leaves the muzzle of the gun pass by way of notches (Z of wad a between the proximate faces of said wad a and wad b to the central opening 6 of the latter and thence between the faces of wads b and c and through notches d of the latter to the circumference or circumferential ortion of the multimissile projectile charge lishot or other) placed infront of it.

The wads a b 0, making up the separator A, are lightly cemented together in. order that they may maintain when handling and in making up the load or charge their proper relation to each other and also to avoid the necessity of assembling at time of use. This cementing, however, will not preclude the travel of the gases in the manner described, a fact abundantly demonstrated by actual experiment and practical use of this separator.

In practice it is found advisable to make the wads a and c of relatively firm or compact material, such as heavy cardboard, while the intervening wad or member 6 is advantageously made of elastic material, such as felt,

and this felt is advisably faced with paper, as

he used in loading cartridges or making up fixed ammunition. or it may he introduced directly into the barrel of the gun when employing loose ammunition.

In speaking of cartridges I mean to embrace fixed ammunition generally and to include canister and grape-shot or any other multimissile projectile charge combined with u propelling charge. in other words, the de vice here set forth is to be used with any Inuitimissile projectile charge, large or small and whether the charge be made up in the form of fixed or loose ammunition.

The above description sets forth the preferred form of my separator; but measurably good results may be attained without placing the notches d in the members a and 0 out of alinement. Better results are, however produced by staggering or offsetting these notches. While, therefore, Ishallspecificnlly claim this offsetting, my invention includes also this three-part separator, whether the notches be in or out of alinement. I have also observed that if the intermediate wad be combined with notched wads such as shown, but be not perforated, the gases directed by the notches of the rear wed to the periphery of the intermediate wad will force or cut channels or passages through the periphery of the intermediate wad from face to face and also cause closer or more concentrated shooting of the charge than the ordilmry solid wan alone.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim is l. The hereiu-described wed or sepu. comprising the members a, I), a, mend and 0 having peripheral notches, the m of one being out of elinemcnt with thl the other; and an interposed wad or nu having a centre] perforation or opening 2. A Wild or separator comprising two or members cut away at their peripherie. 1m interposed wad provided with n cen trn oration or opening.

3. The herein-described wad or scpzu comprising wads or members a and 0 pro with peripheral notches d, and an inter wud 6 provided with at central opening I;

4. A wad or separator comprising tw ripherully-notched wads and an inter wad covering the notches of the other 5. A wad or separator, comprising a relity of wads cemented together, one h: its periphery notched or cut away.

In testimony whereof I have signed my to this specification in the presence of twc scribing witnesses.

CHARLES LA. DO

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. DODGE, FANNIE WISE. 

